A 45 year-old motorcyclist and his female passenger are lucky to be alive after colliding with a B-double truck 10km north of Finley on the Newell Hwy on Friday.

According to police, a fierce storm forced the Grovedale man and his passenger, a 38 year-old Belmont woman, into the path of the oncoming truck about 1.40pm.

The truck driver, a Finley man, saw the motorcycle veering just in time to steer the truck away, according to police. Police say his quick thinking meant the motorcycle collided with the side of the truck, instead of head-on.

Police said the rider suffered a broken leg as a result of the collision and described the female passenger’s injuries as ‘‘minor’’. Both were taken to Finley Hospital for treatment.

Police, the NSW Ambulance Service and, as a precaution, the Rural Fire Service all attended the scene.

Wind speeds across the Southern Riverina reached at least 67km/h on Friday during storm activity, with the Bureau of Meteorology recording almost 2mm of rain across Friday and Saturday.

The highway was closed in both directions following the crash and was not reopened until about 3.30pm.

After that police were on hand to advise motorists to exercise caution while emergency services continued clearing the site.

Police said the crash was a reminder for all road users to take extra care during poor weather.